19 Irresistible Dessert Recipes For Kids

But kids? They have ‘sweet teeth’. Such is their love for desserts and sweet treats. If your children are not among the minority who hate sweet stuff, then you are on the right page. MomJunction has compiled a list of some of the yummiest, mouth-watering dessert recipes you can make for the kids.

These desserts could just be the beginning of your child’s long love affair with sweets.

19 Drool-Worthy Dessert Recipes For Kids

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We have gathered the secrets to making some of the best dessert recipes for kids, from all around the world: India, France, Mexico, Puerto Rico, China, Ireland, Japan, Spain, Italy, and the US among others.

American and Caribbean Desserts

1. Apple pie

Let’s begin with the all American apple pie! This is a simple dessert with the goodness of apples and sweetness of sugar.

Heat a saucepan to melt the butter. Stir in the white and the brown sugar, cinnamon, and water. Bring it to a boil to dissolve the sugar and take it off heat.

Take a pie crust and press them into a nine-inch pie dish and put the apple slices into it.

Take the other pie crust and cut it into one-inch strips. Arrange them in a criss-cross fashion over the apple pieces and press the edges, while crimping the edges of the bottom crust to the pan.

Pour spoonfuls of the sugar syrup on the pie, letting it drizzle down to the bottom.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes and reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 35-40 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown and is set.

Preparation time: 30minCooking time: 50minServings: 8

2. Microwave brownie

If you’ve been thinking about easy microwave dessert recipes for kids, try this one straight from the US. It takes no more than a couple of minutes.

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

¼ (40g) cup flour (self-raising)

¼ (60g) cup caster sugar

2 tbsp cocoa

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp (60ml) water

½ tsp icing sugar

How to:

Add all the ingredients, except icing sugar, in a microwave-safe cup.

Mix them properly until the mixture becomes smooth.

Microwave it for one minute 40 seconds.

Take it out and sprinkle some icing sugar.

Serve immediately.

Preparation time: 2minCooking time: 2minServings: 1

3. Flan

From the US, we move down south to Mexico to try the traditional caramel flan. While this is not a quick-fix dessert like the microwave brownie, it is an excellent option for a special occasion.

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

½ cup sugar

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup sugar

A pinch of salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

How to:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a saucepan, heat the sugar and stir it into a syrup, until it turns golden brown. Divide the sugar syrup among four 6oz baking cups. Use a brush to coat the inside of the cups with the sugar syrup and let it dry.

In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and pour the mixture into the prepared cups.

Take a 9×9×2 inch baking tray and pour very hot water, up to half-an-inch, in it. Place it on an oven rack and place the cups in it.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the crust in the center is fully cooked (insert a knife in the center and it should come out clean).

Invert the cup on to a plate and serve warm. You can also refrigerate for eight hours and unmold it before serving.

Desserts from Asia

13. Rice pudding/porridge

One of the easiest Japanese desserts you can make when you have rice, sugar, and milk at home is the rice porridge. If you are not a rice eater, you can use tapioca pearls, or semolina instead. We have also used almond milk instead of dairy for kids who are lactose-intolerant.

1. In a saucepan, combine rice, sugar, and one cup of almond milk. Cook over low heat and stir it to a boil. 2. Let it cook until the rice absorbs all the almond milk. Add half-a-cup of almond milk and stir it again, until absorbed. Add five cups of the milk gradually, in this fashion. 3. Cook the milk and rice until you get a creamy mix, then take it off heat. 4. Let it cool and add the remaining cup of almond milk. 5. Sprinkle cinnamon powder and serve warm.

Preparation time: 30minCooking time: 30minServings: 6

14. Toasted coconut laddoo

Ladoos are popular sweet treats in India and loved by all who have a sweet tooth. This recipe uses coconut and vegan alternatives that make it healthier and tastier as well.

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

1 ½ cups finely shredded fresh coconut

1 cup coconut cream, or full-fat coconut cream

1/3 cup sugar or jaggery powder

Ground cardamom

Pinch of salt

How to:

In a skillet, dry roast the shredded coconut on medium heat. Roast for three to four minutes or until the coconut (most of it) turns golden brown.

Add the coconut milk or cream to the toasted coconut and cook for two minutes.

Add the salt and sugar and stir. Add the cardamom powder.

Let it cook on medium heat until the coconut mixture completely absorbs the milk or cream. When you squeeze the mixture with a spoon, there shouldn’t be any milk or creamy liquid.

Let it cool down to room temperature and then make balls out of it.

You can keep it for a week when stored in an airtight container or the refrigerator.

Preparation time: 5minCooking time: 25minServings: 8-10 balls

15. Atta ka halwa

Halwa is an Indian sweet dish made with wheat or white flour, sugar, and dry fruits. One of the easier dishes, halwa is a common dish but not something you must indulge in often if made of white flour.

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

½ cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup clarified butter, or canola oil

½ cup sugar

2 cups water

¼ cup raisins

2 tbsp sliced almonds

1 tbsp pistachios for garnishing

¼ tsp ground cardamom

How to:

Boil water and sugar in a pan over medium heat, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Take it off the heat and set it aside.

Melt the clarified butter (or heat canola oil) in a frying pan. Stir in the wheat flour and mix well. Roast the flour until it turns light golden brown and emits a sweet aroma.

Stir in the sugar syrup slowly and then mix slowly, to ensure there are no lumps. Add the raisins, cardamom powder, and half the almonds. Stir until you get the desired consistency.

The halwa will become harder after it cools, so let the halwa be slightly softer than the consistency you want before taking it off the heat.

18. Tang Yuan

Tang yuan can be sweet or tangy. This Indonesian recipe is for the rice dumplings in sweet ginger broth.

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

½ cup rice flour

1/3 cup cane sugar

1 1/2 cups water

2 tsp grated ginger

2-3 drops of food colors – red, yellow and pink

How to:

Add the cane sugar and ginger to a thick bottomed pan. Add one and a quarter cup of water and cook on medium flame till the liquid comes to a boil. Boil it for three to four minutes or until you get a sweet aroma from it.

Meanwhile, combine the rice flour and remaining water (add little by little) and knead it for at least two to three minutes, until you get a smooth dough.

Divide the dough into three parts and add a few drops of food color to each. Make one-centimetre rounds of the dough and ensure that there are no cracks in them.

Gently drop the flour balls into the boiling sugar syrup and let them boil on low heat, for a few more minutes or until the rice balls are cooked (they should float in the syrup).

Remove from heat and take out the ginger pieces. Serve warm or cold.

Preparation time: 15minCooking time: 20minServings: 2

19. Sweet potatoes in syrup

Potatoes may not be as healthy as we’d like them to be. But sweet potatoes are and can be used to make a healthy dessert recipe for the kids, just like the Chinese do.

Image: iStock

You will need:

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed or cut into rounds

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup butter

How to:

Boil the sweet potatoes or bake them at 350°F to soften them.

Melt butter in a frying pan and add sugar. Heat it until the syrup starts bubbling. Add the orange juice and stir for a few minutes.

Add the boiled potatoes to the pan and cook slowly, until they have been caramelized.

You can add more brown sugar if the syrup is not thick or sweet enough.

Serve warm.

Preparation time: 15minCooking time: 30minServings: 5

Brownies, caramel custard, fruit salad with cream, cakes, cookies, tarts, and doughnuts are some of the other desserts you can make for children at home. While it is a good idea to give homemade sweets to children, it is also important to remember that too much sugar can be bad for them. So serve desserts moderately, and try to include vegetables and fruits to make them nutritious.

Sagari Gongala

Sagari is a math graduate and studied counseling psychology in postgraduate college, which she uses to understand people better. This skill also helps her write better articles about kids and their behavior. She is meticulous in her research and gives you information that could be the ultimate help you’ll need in times of need. An animal lover, vegan, and coffee addict, Sagari puts her mind and soul into whatever she does. During her free time, you'll find her either rescuing a sick/injured animal with a friend, or glued to her couch watching Sons Of Anarchy on Netflix.

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